*
banner

Cory Band

Conductor: Philip Harper
UniBrass Championships
Harrogate
Saturday 18th February

There is nothing better than listening to a great brass band in relaxed cruise control mode.

Cory were out to entertain in Harrogate, and with an enthusiastic audience more than ready to lap up every last drop of their excellence, they simply turned on the showboat taps and let the high-class music making pour out.

Shaken and stirred

‘Star Wars’ and the ‘Overture to The Marriage of Figaro’ immediately tickled the taste buds, before Steve Stewart brought the house down with a ‘Live and Let Die’ that would have had Cubby Broccoli looking for the Scotsman’s telephone number in his contacts book if he could have got rid of Roger Moore.  Everyone in the hall was left shaken and stirred by his outrageously brilliant playing.

The first half was brought to a close with Philip Harper’s touching musical portrait of Roald Dahl – a complex man with an imagination that perfectly summed up the ‘remarkable’ adjective of the music’s title. At the close you felt like Charlie Bucket after he had won a Willy Wonka ‘Golden Ticket’.

Flamboyant

Elsewhere, the musical contrasts were just as flamboyantly marked - from the sizzling ‘Candide Overture’ and Tom Hutchinson on buzzing Bruce Lee form in ‘The Green Hornet’, to the melancholic sounds of ‘Myfanwy’ and mystery of ‘They Shall Come from the East’.

‘Sweet Georgian Brown’ and Glyn Williams whizzing through Hartmann’s ‘La Belle Americaine’ at the blink of an eye set things up for the thunderous ‘Finale from Symphony No 4’ by Tchaikovsky, before the encore of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ brought the concert to a stunning close.

If this was Cory in cruise control – then heaven help their rivals when they really put their foot to the contest stage metal.

Brendan Wilson 

Support us for less than a cup of coffee...

4BR wants to ensure that the brass band movement remains vibrant and relevant. We also want to be able to question, challenge and critically examine those who run and play in it, producing high quality journalism that informs as well as entertains our readers.

So if like us you value a strong, independent perspective on the brass band world - then why not consider becoming a supporter and help make our future and that of a burgeoning brass band movement more secure.

So one less cappuccino then?

Support us    



Contest: Lower Sections 1-4 National Finals

Saturday 13 September • Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham GL50 4SH


Contest: Lower Sections 1-4 National Finals

Sunday 14 September • Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham. . *Please note as of 24th August 2023 the date is provisional according to Kapitol Promotions website GL50 4SH


Petworth Town Band - Petworth Town Band at Petworth Heritage weekend

Saturday 20 September • Centre of Petworth Town GU28 OAH


Cheltenham Silver Band - Holst Birthday Concert

Saturday 20 September • All Saints Church, All Saints Road, Pittville, Cheltenham GL52 2HG


Regent Hall Concerts - The Band of the Grenadier Guards Big Band

Friday 26 September • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. WC1 2DJ W1C2DJ


Chinnor Silver

September 11 • Our COMMUNITY BAND are meeting again on Monday (15th) and we would welcome any players who fancy joining us for a relaxed and friendly blow.. All abilities are welcome and meeting with us has no impact on your main band.. Cake and coffee included FREE


Epping Forest Band

September 11 • We have a solo horn vacancy to join our friendly 3rd section band. We have a sensible calendar of contests and concerts.. Situated with close links to the M11/M25 and Central line tube station, with our own band room.. Rehearsals Monday night 8-10pm.


Delph Band

September 9 • We are a friendly, hardworking North West 2nd Section band based in Saddleworth. Rehearsal nights are Mondays and Wednesdays, 8-10pm at Delph Band Club. We are currently looking to fill the following positions; Tutti Cornet, Percussion and Eb Bass.


Stephen Phillips

MA, BA (Homs), PQSI, NPQH, PGCE
Conductor, Band Trainer, Educator, Compere


               

 © 2025 4barsrest.com Ltd